A Stroll in the South Parish, Wednesday 20 September 2017

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As part of the UNESCO International City of Learning Conference in Cork and the showcase day of lifelong learning in the city, a walk through the South Parish will take place on Wednesday morning, 20 September. It is hosted by Cllr Kieran McCarthy, Cork Healthy Cities and Cork Food Policy Council. The tour encompasses the historic origins of Cork as well as a showcase of emerging projects in the South Parish area. Starting at Ellizabeth Fort at 11am, it proceeds to St Stephen’s Sustainable Food Laboratory, the site of the c1700 St Stephen’s Hospital for lepers & lazars and the nineteenth century Anabaptist Burial Ground. The site, which was formerly a basketball court up to recently is now a collective, member-led, self-funded, urban agriculture project focused on growing food organically for its members. The walk continues to the Summerhill South Seventeenth Century Quaker Burial site. This is an opportunity to see behind the walls of the Burial Ground of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) & discover the richness of the plant & animal life in this urban green area.

The final site visited is St Finbarr’s Hospital, originally the Workhouse for Cork, constructed by the Poor Law Guardians in late 1841, and now a Healthy Campus Health Service site with a therapeutic garden for patients. Whilst hearing about the historic richness of the area, see the first signs of autumn, as nature prepares for hibernation. You will learn about the importance of preserving biodiversity & how we can all contribute to this. You might get a feeling for the peaceful stillness of these green oases in the middle of Cork City.

Meet at the entrance of Elizabeth Fort, Barrack Street at 11am. Tour is free; please wear suitable clothes & shoes. All welcome. Cork Food Policy Council advocates for innovative community food initiatives that seek improvements to the food system to increase equitable access to quality food. Cork is a WHO Healthy City. The aim of Healthy Cities is to improve and promote population health through health policy, inter-sectoral collaboration & community participation.